THE latest ‘door’ on York’s biggest ever advent calendar was opened yesterday at York Theatre Royal.

The acrylic painting of seven swans a swimming has been painted by welcome manager Hannah Milburn, who is also an artist.

It has gone on display in the colonnade at the front of the theatre in St Leonard’s Place - the arched area which has recently been glazed.

Spokesman James Ducker said the swans were chosen for the painting because there was a secret link to swans in the forthcoming panto Cinderella.

The giant ‘living’ advent calendar is being created by Make It York at 25 shops, bars and other businesses around the city. The Press’ offices in Walmgate have already reveal its advent window.

York Chocolate Story’s wind in King’s Square has chocolatey art work, complete with a winter scene of a chocolate-ball tree, chocolate lollies, baubles and hazelnuts.

A window is being revealed each day at 11am until December25, with pictures posted in The Press and online at thepress.co.uk along with advice on which windows to seek out next.

Following the revealing of the final window on Christmas Day, readers can have their say on their favourite, and the winning business will receive £1,000 which will be donated to a charity of their choice.

The first Living Advent Calendar was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2005, but many more have sprung up around Europe in the last decade.Details on the festive windows are also available at facebook.com/visityork.

The next window is to be unveiled at 11am on Thursday at ...give the dog a bone in Fossgate.